Google Releases Android Update Plan For Pixel Phones Till 2019

Google's update schedule for its flagships Pixel and the Pixel XL have been released. Google has guaranteed updates for the Pixel series and will continue to release updates till 2018, or Android 9.0. Google also plans on releasing security updates till 2019.

According to BGR, this puts the shelf life of the Pixel phones to be around two to three years, and people who are willing to use the phones beyond the company specific Android version mentioned, they would have to root their phones and install custom ROMs. The Pixel and the Pixel XL are still very powerful phones that might not feel that old at the end of 2019. 

Google earlier posted the update details on its Android Support page, which has raised many eyebrows in people who were hoping that Google might release updates for the long-standing Nexus 6P as well till 2019. However, it seems that the latest Android O update would be available to Nexus 6P. 

Google also has a dedicated section for "Google Play Edition" devices on their support website. The website also has an update schedule for Google Play edition devices. HTC One M8 which was released in 2014, is the last Google Play edition device, and also the last device to be removed from Google Play edition services.

Meanwhile, Google has plans of updating the Pixel lineup, and according to Trusted Reviews,  it might release three new Pixel devices this year running on SnapDragon 835, making it one of the very few phones to get the flagship SoC. Google has listed the phones codenamed "Muskie" and "Walleye".

The third codenamed device is Taimen, and speculations are that this device could either be a phablet or a tablet since the Pixel lineup hasn't seen a tablet since 2015's Pixel C. There are some speculations suggesting that this might be a new Nexus 6 successor. 

Meanwhile, the Pixel sales are still going strong and the phone has become a favorite among heavy power users and camera lovers alike. This bodes well for the Pixel 2, which would be even more advanced than the current gen Pixel.